---
title: With reference to the passage, by what means was the fir-tree finall… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Fir-Tree:… · tree and pragmatics
description: With reference to the passage, by what means was the fir-tree finally reduced to fuel? Exam question 3 of lesson 1630 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Fir-Tree: the old tree is burned, and a new tale begins» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the que
---

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# Exam question 3 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Fir-Tree: the old tree is burn…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With reference to the passage, by what means was the fir-tree finally reduced to fuel?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** passage · **What happens:** mean, be, reduce · **To what, where:** fir tree

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1630 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Fir-Tree: the old tree is burned, and a new tale begins» of the books course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/books/1630-pg5615-part19/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1630-pg5615-part19:e3:1
# text = With reference to the passage, by what means was the fir-tree finally reduced to fuel?
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	reference	reference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	passage	passage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	9	nsubj	_	_
9	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
12	fir	fir	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
15	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	reduced	reduce	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	acl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	fuel	fuel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the passage |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | the fir tree |  |  |  | with reference to the passage | tree rules |
| 3 | **reduce** | participle |  | the fir tree *not said here* |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn limit-76 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was split by the farmhand's axe

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1630-pg5615-part19:e3:o1:1
# text = It was split by the farmhand's axe
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	split	split	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	farmhand	farmhand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	axe	axe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **split** | past · passive |  | It |  |  |  | by the farmhand's axe | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was cut into small pieces by a servant and then thrown into the brew-house copper

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1630-pg5615-part19:e3:o2:1
# text = It was cut into small pieces by a servant and then thrown into the brew-house copper
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
12	thrown	throw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
13	into	into	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
15	brew	brew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	copper	copper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | past · passive | a servant | It |  | small pieces |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.material PP.product»: agent=Agent subject=Material into piece=Product |
| 2 | **throw** | participle | a servant *not said here* |  |  |  | then | into the house copper *result* | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Causer into copper=Result |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was chopped into many little pieces by the servant girl using a large axe in the yard

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1630-pg5615-part19:e3:o3:1
# text = It was chopped into many little pieces by the servant girl using a large axe in the yard
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	chopped	chop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
12	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	axe	axe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	yard	yard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chop** | past · passive | the servant girl | It |  |  |  | into many little pieces *result* | vn cut-21.1-1 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Agent subject=Patient into piece=Result |
| 2 | **use** | gerund | the servant girl *not said here* | a large axe |  |  |  | in the yard | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent axe=Patient |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was cut into pieces by a servant

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1630-pg5615-part19:e3:o4:1
# text = It was cut into pieces by a servant
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | past · passive | a servant | It |  | pieces |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.material PP.product»: agent=Agent subject=Material into piece=Product |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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